 Short Stories: September 16, 2015 Issue [#7217] |
  Short Stories
This week: Self Confidence Edited by: Jay's debut novel is out now!  
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This Issue:
Self Confidence
Being confident in one's work is among the keys to a writer's success, at any stage in one's career.
Feeling confidence as a writer can be a challenge. What can you do to charge up or affirm yourself? |
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As a writer, feeling confident in your work can be really difficult.
It's only natural; writing is a subjective art form and so there's a certain amount of accounting-for-taste in any given piece of short fiction. Sometimes we'll be particularly pleased with ourselves, about a completed story or a nice comment in a review. It's equally common, though, to feel frustrated or down on oneself for any number of reasons. Maybe a less favorable review, maybe a plot line we're struggling to resolve, maybe a form rejection from a publisher. There doesn't necessarily even need to be a reason.
So, if we all go through these phases of self-doubt, how can we reclaim a little of that spark, that creative energy which drives us to create?
 Revisit a story that inspired you. Whether it's a book, another short story, a poem, a film, a television show, a music album (hey, last issue!)... When you're feeling like you've hit bottom on what motivates you to write, it can really help you to find something that triggered that creative spark in you. Avoid the voice inside which tries to compare your work with your old favorites, at least for the moment. Just going back to what inspires you can help by rebuilding the bridge between your inspiration and creativity-- as a writer, I find I'm most confident in my work when I'm feeling inspired, and I'm sure I'm not alone in that, so do what you can to find inspiration.
Read and review for someone here on Writing.Com. I know, a weird suggestion for how to get your mojo back if you're not feeling confident in your own work, but hear me out. As a reader instead of a writer, our brains shift gears just a little bit. Looking for areas that engage you and areas which could use improvement in other writers' work is a great way to remind yourself of these things as well.
Look over some of your other received reviews. Even if what's burst your bubble is a negative review here on the site, taking a look at your other received reviews can be a good reminder that these things are more or less completely subjective and that plenty of readers are enjoying your work.
Keep writing! This seems really, really obvious, but it's entirely possible that what's got your confidence down is a lack of recent output. Putting some new words to the page may help to reinforce that writerly feeling. (And no excuses! Writer's block isn't a thing; muses aren't a thing. Sometimes you have to write something even when you don't *feel* like it, and that can snap you out of your slump. Unless you're enjoying your slump, and then, hey, power to ya.  )
What are some of the tips and tricks you like to use to get yourself back on track after your confidence is a little shaken up? I would love to know!
Until next time,
Take care and Write on!
~jay
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Last issue: "Tones of Inspiration"
Prelooker  writes:
Lyrics are a huge source of inspiration for me.
I usually go out with my earphones nailed to my ears, and songs are what triggers images, ideas, moments than later grow into a story.
I don't have a specific music to read, but if lyric-less music comes in, it's to read.
To write, I usually need a given band to fuel me.
I have the "Thirty Seconds to Mars novel", the "Pearl Jam novel", Echoes belongs to the "Daughtry series", and now I'm working on the "Maynard Keenan" series! Me, eclectic? Nah! And in addition to that, now I got used to find a song to quote matching the feeling of the story.
I loved Kiya's idea for the contest! I wish there was a full album I liked enough to complete the task! I've been browsing CDs for two weeks now, and still can't find one. I'm jealous of a couple of friends who are already working for Kiya's challenge!
Thanks again for picking Echoes, and for such a good NL!
Monica
Thank you for writing a great story, and for giving so much detail to your methods!
Elfin Dragon-finally published writes:
I love to have music in the background when I'm reading or writing. Lately I've been on a Tartanic kick. If you don't know the group, they're a Scottish bagpipes & drums group. But they've also branched a bit, doing some traditional Scottish songs without the bagpipes. And of course their rendition of "Amazing Grace" with bagpipes & drums is the best I've ever heard.
Aw, that sounds really cool! I will have to check it out.
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